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Cane Grasses of
Florida
Candice M. Prince, Gregory E. MacDonald
The University of Florida
FLEPPC 2017
Identifying Features of Grasses:
Jose V. Fernandez
Classifications:
• Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC):
• Category I: alter native plant communities through various mechanisms
• Category II: have increased in abundance or frequency
Classifications:
• UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas:
• Not a problem species
• Caution – manage to prevent escape
• Invasive and not recommended – except in specific cases
• Invasive and not recommended
Burma Reed (Neyraudia reynaudiana)
Photo: GlobalSpecies.org
Burma Reed:
• FLEPPC Category I Species
• Florida Noxious Weed
• Problematic in pine rocklands
• Spread: rhizomes and wind-dispersed seeds
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Clumping, to 10 ft. in height
• Stems are filled with pith, often branched
• Blades up to 39 in. long, hairy on top
• Ligule and collar have hairs
Dan Clark, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Inflorescences are large panicles (to 24 in. in length)
• Feathery appearance
• Silver hairs
• Flowering: late spring – early fall
Dan Clark, Bugwood.org
Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
Common Reed:
• Globally distributed
• Divided into lineages based on geographic location, and haplotypes based on genes from chloroplast DNA
National Biological Information Infrastructure Global Mapper
Common Reed:
• Haplotypes in Florida • Eurasian type found in 2013
(Overholt et al., 2014)
• Gulf Coast type
• Coastal salt marshes, freshwater marshes, lake shores
• Spreads via rhizomes, stolons, and seeds
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Up to 20 ft. in height
• Leaf blades: Up to 20 inches long
• Blades and sheaths are hairless, margins are rough
• Ligule: fringe of hairs
Identification:
• Large panicle, 1-2 ft. long
• Light brown
• Silky hairs at maturity
• Flowering: late summer through fall
Joseph DiTomaso, Bugwood.org
Eurasian Haplotype Gulf Coast Haplotype
Inflorescence Compact, erect Open, drooping
Stem Ribbed Smooth
Height 6.5 to 13 ft. Up to 20 ft.
Giant Bristlegrass (Setaria magna)
Photo: Jose V. Fernandez
Giant Bristlegrass:
• Native annual grass
• Brackish and freshwater marshes
• Spreads through seed
Jose V. Fernandez Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• To 12 ft. in height
• Blades rough, to 2 ft. in length
• Ligule is a fringe of short hairs
• Spike-like panicle
Jose V. Fernandez
Giant Reed (Arundo donax)
Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, Bugwood.org
Giant Reed
• UF/IFAS Assessment: Invasive in North, Central, and South Florida
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Chuck Bargeron, Bugwood.org
Spread:
• Vegetative spread (rhizomes and stem fragments)
• Does produce some seed, but viability is limited
Joseph M. DiTomaso, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• To 20 ft. in height
• Blades are up to 3 ft. in length with rough edges
• Collar has a brown wedge, and rounded outgrowths
• Ligule has a fringe of small hairs
Amy Ferriter, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Compact, plume-like panicles • Light brown color
• Up to 2 ft. in length
• Flowering occurs from late summer – early fall
David J. Moorhead, Bugwood.org
Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)
Photo: David J. Moorhead, Bugwood.org
Golden Bamboo:
• FLEPPC Category II
• Caution in North and South FL (UF/IFAS Assessment)
• Spreads via rhizomes (flowering is rare)
• Pine flatwoods and hardwood forests Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Up to 33 ft. in height
• Stems: • Swollen band under each
node
• Branches in pairs
• Crowded nodes zig-zag at base
Abrahami
Nancy Loewenstein, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Leaves:
• Up to 6 inches long
• Rough edges
• Sometimes have tufts of hair on the collars
Nancy Loewenstein, Bugwood.org
Mission Grass (Pennisetum polystachion)
Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood.org
Mission Grass:
• Federal Noxious Weed, Florida Noxious Weed
• FLEPPC Category II
• Disturbed areas
• Spreads through seed (wind, water, animal dispersed)
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Clumping, to 6 ft. in height
• Blades up to 22 in. long, may have hairs
• Ligule is a ciliate membrane
Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Inflorescence – panicle up to 14 in. in length
• White, yellow, light brown, pink, to purple
• Feathery bristles aid in seed dispersal
Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood.org
Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum)
Rebekah D. Wallace, Bugwood.org
Napier Grass (Elephant Grass):
• FLEPPC Category I
• UF/IFAS Assessment: Invasive in North, Central, and South FL
• Spreads via rhizomes and stem fragments
• Pastures, roadsides, wetlands
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Up to 15 ft. in height
• Blades to 3 ft. in length • Hairs and rough margins
• Whitish midvein
• Ligule has long hairs
Rebekah D. Wallace, Bugwood
Identification:
• Inflorescence is a panicle
• Dense and spike-like
• Yellow-brown to purplish
• Up to 8 in. in length
Dan Clark, Bugwood.org
Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana)
Photo: John Ruter, Bugwood.org
Pampas Grass:
• UF/IFAS Assessment: Invasive in North, Central, and South FL
• Spreads through wind- dispersed seeds, tiller fragmentation
• Wet, disturbed areas
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• Clumping, to 10 ft. in height
• Blades reach 3 ft. or more in length • Serrated margins
• Often twist
• Ligule has hairs
Identification:
• Large panicles
• Up to 50 in. in length
• Silver-white, sometimes pale pink-purple
• Seed heads become light brown with maturity
Joy Viola, Bugwood.org
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood
Sugarcane: • UF/IFAS Assessment: Not a problem species
• Spreads via seeds and vegetatively
• Ditches and abandoned agricultural lands
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Up to 20 ft. in height
• Blades are up to 20 in. in length • Thick midrib, rough edges
• Ligule: short hairs
• Sheath: long hairs on upper edges
Forest and Kim Starr, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Inflorescences are open panicles • Up to 24 in. in length
Scott Bauer, Bugwood.org
Sugarcane Plumegrass (Saccharum giganteum)
Photo: James H. Miller, Bugwood.org
Sugarcane Plumegrass:
• Native to Florida wetlands
• Spreads via seeds
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants James H. Miller, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Up to 10 ft. in height
• Blades are up to 20 in. in length • Can be smooth or with
stiff hairs
• Ligule: fringe of hairs
• Sheath: can be smooth or with a few hairs
James H. Miller and Ted Bodner, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Inflorescence is a large panicle
• Feathery
• White
Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Switch Cane (Arundinaria gigantea)
Photo: James H. Miller and Ted Bodner, Bugwood.org
Switch Cane: • Native to Florida
• Spreads via rhizomes
• Low lying moist areas, wetlands
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
James H. Miller and Ted Bodner, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• To 10 ft. in height
• Blades: to 6 in. in length • Hairs
• Sheaths: long hairs on upper edges
• Ligules usually have hairs
• Flowering is rare
Rebekah D. Wallace, Bugwood.org
Zebragrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, Bugwood.org
Zebragrass (Chinese Silver Grass):
• UF/IFAS Assessment: not a problem species
• Spreads through wind-dispersed seeds and rhizomes
• Disturbed areas (roadsides, old fields, etc.) Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Identification:
• To 12 ft. in height
• Blades up to 18 in. long • Rough edges
• Silver-white midrib
• Ligule: fringe of hairs
• Sheath: can have hairs Lauren Quinn, Bugwood.org
James H. Miller, Bugwood.org
Identification:
• Inflorescences are panicles • Fan-shaped
• 6 to 24 in. long
• Silver white
• Flowering occurs late summer – early fall
Chris Evans, Bugwood.org
Management - Prevention
• Clean equipment
• Avoid ornamental plantings, remove where possible (golden bamboo, pampas grass)
• Manage prior to seed production
Management - Mechanical
• Burma reed, common reed, napier grass: • Mowing/burning ineffective as sole control method
• Giant reed, golden bamboo, mission grass, zebragrass: • Repeated, aggressive mowing
• Pampas grass: • Cut stems to ground, remove root system
Management - Chemical
• Primarily glyphosate and imazapyr • Use a surfactant
• Recent research on sethoxydim
• Control can be enhanced by integrating with mechanical methods • Mow/burn/cut prior to application
• Apply herbicide to new growth
Questions?